U.S. President Barack Obama declared Saturday that his administration has "renewed American leadership" in the world by forging international agreements to reform the global financial system, pursue clean energy, secure loose nuclear weapons and face down the threat of a nuclear Iran. Speaking in his weekly radio and Internet address after a series of meetings with world leaders at the United Nations and at an international summit in Pittsburgh, President Obama reiterated that his offer of "serious, meaningful dialogue" to resolve the Iran nuclear problem remains open. But with the discovery that Iran was building a secret nuclear facility to enrich uranium, Obama said, "Iran must now cooperate fully" with the International Atomic Energy Agency and take action to demonstrate its claim that its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes. Obama said the international community is united in its determination that "Iran must pursue a new course or face consequences." Obama emphasized that the five permanent members of the United States Security Council have made it clear that Iran must fulfill its responsibilities. "Iran's leaders must now choose," Obama said. "They can live up to their responsibilities and achieve integration with the community of nations. Or they will face increased pressure and isolation, and deny opportunity to their own people." Obama called the increasingly united front against Iran and action on other issues proof of the effectiveness of his administration's diplomatic efforts. "My administration has renewed American leadership, and pursued a new era of engagement in which we call upon all nations to live up to their responsibilities," he said. "This week, our engagement produced tangible results in several areas."
